The Final Breakthrough

Salam.

Alhamdulillah, finally i managed to get pass through the exams - Phylosophy was easy, Biochemistry, was a tricky one and Physiology, just an inch near the luck! Overall, i'm satisfied. Couldn't ask for more. I've tried my best and the rest - bismillahitawakkaltu... =>

During these 2 weeks of exams, I really run out of scheduled. My sleep became my study time and sometimes my study time became my sleep time. Needless to say, i'm lacking of all the proper nutrition i'm supposed to have. In short, my biological rhythm ran haywire during exams weeks just because to cover all the subjects in two or three days before the exam.

So, don't study last minute! Don't burn the midnight oil! (I'm saying this to myself)

Ironically, that is my study style-six or five days before the exams-i'm comfortable with it, plus it gives me the confident of remembering the things i've read. Oh, believe me, this is how most of my medic friends study. But please bear in mind, unless u're born a genius u can only do this if u pay attention during the classes and lectures. So, what u're doing is just revising! (but i'm totally reading it all back =>).

But the best study method is that , u have to pay attention during the class - learn, understand and memorize- then start ur revision 2 or 3 weeks before the exam and voila, u're as ready as an army!

Owh, in case u love the last minute studying method, this is what i'm doing to cover up all of the topics in the exam.

Fixed Time

Yeah, i fixed my time. No, i didn't make up a timetable or what, just a small reminder in my head that i have to finish so and so topics at so and so time. Usually i fix it between salat time. It's easy, read all what u can read, and when the salat time come, stop and do ur prayer, then continue ur study back. Hah! (Well, i don't get to cover everything, but at least there's something i read between the salat time).

Focus

U have no more time left, so focus! This is hard if u have friends/housemates who love to talk. But alhamdulillah, i have a very understanding friends (cuz they need to focus too! =D). Before u start reading, close your eyes for 7 minutes and empty ur mind from anything and put ur intention towards the topics u wanna study, then bismillah... (this is how the ulema do, according to my murabbi-why 7 minutes? I have no idea).

Be smart

This is just a mere reminding to myself. Don't read EVERYTHING. Read only what u need. If u want to read EVERYTHING and know more, u should study earlier. better play on the safe side...

Others

1. Don't study on ur bed (this is common, unless u can avoid sleeping =D)
2. Make sure ur stomach not empty and not too full. Either u can't focus becuz u're too hungry or u're too sleepy.
3. Dont forget to make du'a before and after studying- it helps u spiritually, insyaAllah.
4. Take care of your sleep time and eat proper food unless u're a hardcore survivor who love to go against the natural.

IK : This post is just for my reminder, in case i will forgot how i use to study and i hope it'll be much useful to others too, if not more, least. Out of all, i just wanna say that i'm not doing my very best, i'm not studying really hard, so gotta improve it somehow - insyaAllah, in next year war!

Oh, and here are some theories i learned from physiology - tell u about why we need to start studying earlier. Hope it migh be of some help to you. Until now, salam.

Panic b4 exam? What's the cause?

Assalamualaikum, have been thinking about why u're always panic b4 exams?Here's some information i gained through physiology lecture, it is one of my usual, complex syllibus for the subject but somehow i found it to be really interesting, though and maybe i can share it with u.....if not much, least.

The topic for the lecture is Emotion (I told ya, even the topic made me wanna listen).
U see, there's a lot of theory made by a lot of famous scientists (whom i have never heard b4, believe me!) about emotion, what it is, what control it..and so on. Well, the lecturer (for whom i admire his way of lecturing) told us, there are 4 theories, and i'm interested in the last one....for which i'm sure u will too (well that may depend on how i'm explaining it to you, i'll try somehow, InsyaAllah).

This theory, created by George (who died in a car accident in Moscow) and A. Kositsky, a Russian physiologist (see i told ya, never heard the name b4) is called INFORMATION THEORY OF EMOTION.

Well, let start it like this, they somehow created a formula (which remind me of the add maths and calculus i've long left behind). They said that "State of Tension" is a formation of reason ST=f(InEnTn-IaEaTa).

ST= State Of Tension
E=Energy
I=Information
T=Time
n=Necessary
a=Available

Whew....ok, it works like this..for example, u will have a very important exams (let us not state the times first). If u will have a lot of available time to study than is necessary, that is better, rather than burning the midnight oil. Well, so the lesser the difference the better the state. According to them, there are 4 stage of emotion:

1st stage - AMA (Attention, Mobilization, Activity)
Students examination - 10 days b4 exam (they'll have a lot of time, can get a lot of information and a lot of energy too).

2nd stage - Stenic Negative Emotion
Students examination - 2 days b4 exam (lack of time, information and energy), result in irritation, rage, anger.

3rd stage - Negative Astenic Emotion
Students examination - 1 night b4 exam (even less time...) result in sorrow, fear, horrow.

4th stage - breakdown, neurosis
Students failed - (fx of disease-breakdown of nervous system-crazy)

So, the easiest factor to be plan is Time (T). Start earlier, don't waiste ur time, u'll get enough information....better be in the first stage...(it's a no wonder when we heard about students committing suicide, killing teachers, friends, parents-cuz they're tension!). As a matter of fact, this theory is not only for student, it can be anyone, anybody as for example, a weekly magazine publisher with oncoming deadline, juz anybody!

Fahimtum? I hope u will understand (i'm not such a good at explaining things). Good luck and remember, plan earlier! As the saying goes MAN JADDA WA JADA